Beta Versions of New Starcraft II Mods Feature Jewels, Cooking

Looks like it’s a good day for Starcraft fans who are also fans of Bejeweled and Cooking Mama. Blizzard has just opened the beta versions of three new custom game modes, each with mechanics with some obvious inspirations. The first is Aiur Chef, a free-for-all game focused on exploring the map and finding ingredients for making your dishes. Players compete against each other for the title of “Executor Chef, culinary guru of the entire Koprulu Sector” and have opportunities to sabotage each other’s ingredient gathering.

The second is StarJeweled, a PvP/PvC/Co-Op vs. Comp. game in which you use energy from a certain match-three puzzle game to heal, attack, or defend units. According to Blizzard, it is more focused on managing your energy and learning unit weaknesses than actual skill at the puzzle game, making it seem like a good tutorial game. The last is Left 2 Die, a co-op game in which you both have to build up your defenses during the day to defend against waves of terran attackers during the night. It also features a Night 2 Die mode which focuses on how long the team can survive against infinite waves of enemies. No word yet on when the full versions will be released, but all of these modes are open to play now. Be sure to contact Blizzard with any bugs you find in the course of play.

Weekend Contributing Writer at DualShockers. Been gaming since getting an SNES with Super Mario World in the late 90s. My favorite games include Persona 4, Chrono Trigger, Sly 2/3, Final Fantasy Tactics Advance, and Shining Force.